Display package for bottles and the like



Sept 6, 966 R. v. BURT DISPLAY PACKAGE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. l2, 1964 e4 65\ li.

INVENTOR.

Rober? V. Bur

ATTORNEY Sept. 6,1966 R. v. BURT 3,270,870

DISPLAY PACKAGE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. l2, 1964 2 Shee'cshee(I 2 5? INVENTOR.

/l Robert V. Bur

\ 56 BY M 7# @am ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3 270 870 DISPLAY PACKAGE Fon orrLEs AND rin: LiKE Robert V. Burt, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Procter hamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Filed Oct. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 403,287 3 Claims. (Cl. 20G-45.33)

The present invention relates to a display package which is particularly suited for packaging bottles and like objects. More particularly, it relates to a package composed of a rigid frame structure formed t-o support a bottle or the like, said frame being overwrapped with a shrinkable transparent film .to give the package added rigidity and to allow maximum display of the product therein.

The merchandising of bottled products is carried on in a number of different ways. Sometimes the bottles are simply placed on display without the benefit of a wrapper of any kind. Other times the bottled product is displayed in a carton s-o that no part of the bottle can be visually inspected. In recent years, the use of display cartons has gained considerably in marketing bottled produc-ts. One of the major deficiencies of present display packages is the fact -that they use relatively large amounts of expensive paperboard material. They are also burdened with complex folding, tucking, and finishing procedures which add to their expense. In addition, present packages do not display bottled products lto its maximum advantage. Consequently, they do not permit a potential consumer to get a good visual impression of the product being sold.

It is a principal Iobject of this invention to eliminate these deficiencies by providing an improved display package structure which is rigid while using a relatively small amount of paperboard or like material thereby achieving a very economical construction.

Another object -of the invention is the provision of a new and improved display package structure which is particularly well suited for engaging and supporting objects in the form of bottles, the structure of the package being such that it can be formed on high speed packaging machinery thus making the package commercially feasible.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a new display package concept whereby practically the entire surface of the packaged bottle is visible to a potential consumer -thus allowing inspection of the bottled product at the point of purchase and giving the consumer an opportunity to compare and evaluate competitive products.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pack- -age of the type heretofore set forth which is tamper-proof, i.e. one from which Ithe bottle is not readily removed when on display.

The nature and substance of the invention can be briey summarized .as comprising a .package made from a paperboard blank which is cut, scored and folded into a frame member having tubular supports on either side `of its four Wall forming panels. An aperture is cut in the top surfaces of the tubular supports formed along the top and bottom panels of the frame structure. The apertures are configured to receive the base and cap, respectively, of the bottle to be packaged. The apertures are cut so that the ends of the capped bottle are rigidly supported therein, yet the upstanding inner wall portion of the tubular supports bear against the flat end surfaces of the bottle and cap so that they are held in spaced relation with respect to the panels forming the end walls. This provides a rigid supporting structure. In folding the frame into rectangular form, the bottle is inserted in the apertures cut in the tubular supports. An end flap extending from one end of the frame is secured .to the opposite end of the frame to complete the frame around the bottle. The frame is overwrapped with a transparent plastic film hav- 3,270,870l Patented Sept. 6, 1966 ice ing heat shrinkable properties. The overwrap film is heated and shrunk to add substantially to the rigidity of .the package structure and to assist in retaining the fiap in the completed package. The bottle product within the package has its Isurfaces almost entirely exposed through the two open sides of the frame so that it can be readily examined by a potential consumer.

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a plan View of t-he frame blank of this invention in flat form.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the frame blank of this invention after the tubular supports have been formed.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2 showing the apertures in the tubular supports which -are provided to receive the end of the bottle cap.

FIGURE 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 showing the apertures in .the tubular supports which are provided to receive the base of the bottle.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the frame showing the side panels erected with respect to the bottom end panel wherein the frameis in bottle receiving position.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary corner of the frame showing the interlocking construction of the tubular support elements on adjoining Wall panels.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the finished package containing a bottle wherein the frame has been overwr-apped with a heat shrinkable film which has been heated and shrunk.

FIGURE 8 is a cross section taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7 showing the manner in which the base of the bottle and the top of t-he bottle cap are held in .the frame by means of the apertures cut in the tubular support elements. For convenience of illustration, the outer wrapper has been removed.

Reference will now be made to the drawings in describing the mode of carrying out the'invention. A frame blank 10 in fiat condition is illustrated in FIGURE 1. The frame blank 10 is formed by cutting and scoring a suitable packaging material such as cardboard, paperboard, cartonboard, plastic, thin metal or the like. The frame blank 10 is divided successively into a ap 11, a top end panel 12, a side panel 13, a bottom end panel 14 and a side panel 15 by means of spaced horizontal parallel score lines 16 and -17 and Vertical parallel transverse score lines 1S, 19, 20 and 21. Extending portions 22, 23, 24 and 25 project upwardly from the score line 16. Similarly, lextending portions 26, 27, 28 and 29 extend downwardly from the score line 17.

Each of the extending portions 22, 23, 24 and 25 are sub-divided by means of the horizontal score lines 30, 31 and 32 into an inner area 33, an inner intermediate area 34, an outer intermediate area 35 and an outer area 36. Similarly, the extending portions 26, 27, 28 and 29 are sub-divided by the horizontal score lines 37, 38 and 39 into an inner area 40, an inner intermediate area 41, an outer intermediate 4area 42 and an outer area 43.

Angular relief cut-outs 44, 45 and 46 are provided between the extending portions 22, 23, 24 and 25. Similarly, angular relief cut-outs 47, 48 and 49 are provided between the extending portions 26, 27, 28 .and 29. It Will be noted that the angular relief cut-outs are formed by making a straight cut on the edges of the extending portions 22, `24, `26 and 28 projecting from the end panels 12 and 14, the cuts being aligned with the transverse scores 18, 19, 20 and 21. On the other hand, the extending portions 23, 25, 27 and 29 projecting from the side panels 13 and 15 are provided with a beveled cut extending in each case from the horizontal parallel scores 16 'and 17 Ito the horizontal scores 30 and 37, respectively. The extending portions 23, 25, 27 and 29 are cut substantially perpendicular to the horizontal scores 3i) and 37 outwardly of the aforesaid bevel cuts.

The extending portion 22 has an aperture 50 cut therein. The aperture is formed by a straight cut 51 parallel to the score 31 and spaced slightly outwardly thereof so that it lies in the outer intermediate area 35. The aperture 50 is further formed by the short straight cuts 52 and 53 extending inwardly to the score line 31 and an arcuate cut 54 wholly Within the inner intermediate area 34. An aperture 55 having the identical shape as the aperture 50 is cut into the extending portion 26.` The extending portion 24 is provided with an aperture 56 similar to the aperture 50 and the extending portion 2S is provided with an aperture '7. The apertures 56 and 57 are substantially identical. It will be noted that the `arcuate cut in the apertures 5i) and 55 are substantially circular in form whereas .the arcuate portion of the apertures 56 and 57 are substantially oval in form. These differences in configuration are primarily to receive the cap and bottle ends having circular and oval cross sections, respectively. Thus, it will be apparent that the apertures can be cut into any configuration depending entirely on the shape of the article to be held therein.

The extending portions 22 and 26 are geometrically identical as are the extending portions 23 and 27; 24 and 2S; and also 25 and 29. The frame blank 10 of FIGURE 1 is folded and formed into the shape Ias shown in FIG- URE 2. This is accomplished by folding .the extending portions 22, 23, 24 and 25 on the score lines 30, 31 and 32 so that the outer area 36 on each of the extending portions lies in contiguous relationship to its respective panel 1-2, 13, 14 or 15. The extending portions 26, 27, 28 and 29 are similarly folded so that the outer area 43 on each of the extending portions is also contiguous to its respective panel 12, 13, 14 or 15. When so folded, the cross section of the frame will be shaped as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The outer areas 36 and 43 are adhered at 58 and 59, respectively, to the end panel 12 as shown in FIGURE 3. The outer areas 36 and 43 on all the extending portions are similarly adhered to their respective panels. The folding and adherence of the extending portions provides tubular supports 60 and 61 which lie, respectively, along each edge of the side and end panels 12, 13, 14 and 15. These tubular supports 60 and 61 are slightly spaced and are substantially rigid by the nature of their structure and by the rigidity of the material from which they are imade. As seen in FIGURE 3, the apertures 50 and 55 are principally cut from the inner intermediate areas 34 and 41 leaving an upstanding inner wall portion 62 and 63 (see also FIGURE 2). Similarly, when the tubular supports 60 and 61 are assembled, the apertures 56 and 57 (FIG- URE 4) leave upstanding inner wall portions 64 and 65 (FIGURES 2 and 4).

The completed frame of FIGURE 2 may be erected by folding and forming into the configuration shown in FIGURE 5. In doing so, the side panel is folded up at right angles with respect to the bottom end panel 14, and the side panel 13 is folded up into parallel relationship with respect to the side panel 15. After the bottle 66 is placed in the frame, the top end panel 12 can then be folded on the score line 19 into closed position and the flap 11 tucked inside the side panel 15. The tucked position of the flap 11 is shown in broken lines in FIGURE 7. The flap 11 can be ladhered by means of an adhesive if necessary or it can be unadhered depending on the requirements of the particular package. As an alternate construction, the flap 11 can be placed against the outside of the panel 15 and adhered thereto by means of an adhesive. It will also be apparent that the flap 11 can extend .from either end of the frame blank of FIG- i URE l Iwithout detraoting from the advantages of the package structure.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the corner structure of the frame. It will be noted that the angular relief cut-out provided in the frame blank provides a structure wherein one of every two adjoining tubular supports is formed With a bevel edge. On erection, this provides a structure whereby the tubular supports 60 and 61 formed on the end panels 12 and 14 fit within the tubular supports 60 and 61 formed on the side panels 13 and 15. The ends of the tubular supports on the end panels 12 and 14 abut the side panels 13 and 15. An example is illustrated in FIGURE 6 with respect to the corner between the side panel 13 and the bottom panel 14. This provides added rigidity at the corners. It also insures a substantially square corner at each of the four corners of the package.

FIGURE 8 illustrates the manner in which the bottle and cap are supported in the package for maximum display after the top end panel 12 is folded in place and the flap 11 tucked as heretofore described. It will be noted that the bottle 66 has an extension 67 which is received in the apertures 56 and 57 of the tubular supports. The upstanding inner wall portions 64 and 65 support the bottle on its base to prevent it from bearing against the bottom end panel 14. The upstanding wall portions 64 and 65 also add greatly to the rigidity of the structure at the support point of the bottle. Similarly, the cap 68 iS received in the apertures and 55 of the tubular supports and 61. In like fashion the upstanding wall portions 62 and 63 bear against the top surface of the cap 68 and prevent distortion of the frame While snugly holding the bottle and cap within the frame.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the frame structure overwrapped with a transparent plastic film material. The film material is preferably of the heat shrinkable type such as, for example, biaxially oriented polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene and the like. The overwrap material is cut to size and then wrapped around the frame. It is sealed longitudinally along one side panel whereupon the tucks 69 and 70 are made. The final folds 71 and 72 are then formed and sealed against the end of the package. The other end of the package (not shown) has the ends of the wrapper similarly formed. The .finished package is then subjected to suliicient heat to cause the overwrap lm to shrink thereby greatly increasing the rigidity of the finished package structure and also retaining the ap 11 in the completed package. The use of a shrink llrn overwrap also makes possible the use-of a frame element in Which the flap 11 has been eliminated. The use of a transparent plastic shrink film allows inspection of the entire bottle from the two sides of the open frame.

Throughout this description, the package has been described as applied to the packaging of a capped bottle. It will be understood that other articles, e.g., jars, cans, etc., can be held in the frame by the structural elements disclosed herein and in the claims appended hereto. As a consequence, the term bottle as used herein will be understood to include other articles which can be held in the display package in the manner heretofore described and hereinafter claimed.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can 'be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and `modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A package for a bottle comprising a frame, said frame being formed. from a frame blank made of paperboard material and generally configured in :the form of an elongated strip, said frame blank having two spaced parallel scores running longitudinally from one end of said elongated strip to the other end thereof, a plurality of transverse scores at intervals along the said frame blank and .being substantially perpendicular to said parallel 1on- -gitudinal scores :thereby dividing the central portion of the frame blank into four panels including two side panels and two end panels, said side and end panels ybeing alternately spaced along said frame blank, a flap articulated to and extending beyond the panel at `one end of said frame blank, an extending 4portieri projecting laterally outwardly from each `of the longitudinal scores which deiine the edge portions of the said panels, each of said extending portions being at least partially separated by angular relief cut-outs outwardly of each of said transverse scores, each of said extending portions having three score lines all of which are parallel to the parallel scores run- 'ning longitudinally from one end of said elongated strip to the other, said three score lines dividing the extending portions into an inner area, an inner intermediate area, an outer intermediate area yand an outer area, each of said extending portions being folded into a tubular support with the outer area `of each extending portion being ad- Ihered :to its adjoining panel so that each side and end panel has a pair of spaced substantially rigid tubular sup- -ports in parallel relationship alongside the longitudinal scores forming the upper and `lower extremities of said side and end panels, said tubular supports being formed so that the outer intermediate area of each is substantially perpendicular :to the side and end panels, an aperture cut in both tubular supports extending from `the end panels, said apertures being shaped to receive the cap and base, respectively, of -a bottle, said apertures being cut to leave upstanding inner wall portions on the outer intermediate areas, said upstanding inner wall portions bearing against said cap and said base so that the cap and base are firmly supported in spaced relation to the end panels, said side and end panels being folded into a substantially rectangular frame by folding the said frame blank on said transverse scores so that the said tubular supports face inwardly land said cap and base of said bottle are supported in said apertures, said flap at one end of said frame bl-ank being secured to the panel at the opposite end of said frame blank to complete the fra-me structure around said bottle, said frame structure being overwrapped with a flexible and heat shrinkable plastic lilm, said film Ibeing heated and shrunk on said frame structure to impart greater rigidity to said frame structure and to retain said secured flap in the completed package.

2. A package as claimed -in claim 1 wherein the apertures cut in the tubular supports have a straight edge cut `in the outer intermediate area parallel to and closely spaced from the score line separating the outer intermediate area and t-he inner intermediate area, the portion of the aperture extending into the inner intermediate area being cut to conform to the conguration of the bottle `base at the bottom end panel and cut to conform to the bottle cap lat the top end panel.

3. A package as claimed in claim 2 wherein the angular "relief cut-outs are cut in a straight line extending from the transverse scores on each of the extending portions projecting from the top end panel and the bottom end panel, the other side of the angular relief cut-out being cut -on a line running at a ybevel from the longitudinal horizontal scores to the score separating the inner area from the inner intermediate area, said second line being parallel Ito the transverse scores beyond the score line separating the inner area from the inner intermediate area.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,713,451; 7/ 1955 Williamson et al. 206`45.31 3,082,864 3/ 1963 Silver 229-14 3,116,154 12/1963- Rumsey.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PACKAGE FOR A BOTTLE COMPRISING A FRAME, SAID FRAME BEING FORMED FROM A FRAME BLANK MADE OF PAPERBOARD MATERIAL AND GENERALLY CONFIGURED IN THE FORM OF AN ELONGATED STRIP, SAID FRAME BLANK HAVING TWO SPACED PARALLEL SCORES RUNNING LONGITUDINALLY FROM ONE END OF SAID ELONGATED STRIP TO THE OTHER END THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE SCORES AT INTERVALS ALONG THE SAID FRAME BLANK AND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL SCORES THEREBY DIVIDING THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE FRAME BLANK INTO FOUR PANELS INCLUDING TWO SIDE PANELS AND TWO END PANELS, SAID SIDE AND END PANELS BEING ALTERNATELY SPACED ALONG SAID FRAME BLANK, A FLAP ARTICULATED TO AND EXTENDING BEYOND THE PANEL AT ONE END OF SAID FRAME BLANK, AN EXTENDING PORTION PROJECTING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY FROM EACH OF THE LONGITUDINAL SCORES WHICH DEFINE THE EDGE PORTIONS OF THE SAID PANELS, EACH OF SAID EXTENDING PORTIONS BEING AT LEAST PARTIALLY SEPARATED BY ANGULAR RELIEF CUT-OUTS OUTWARDLY OF EACH OF SAID TRANSVERSE SCORES, EACH OF SAID EXTENDING PORTIONS HAVING THREE SCORE LINES ALL OF WHICH ARE PARALLEL TO THE PARALLEL SCORES RUNNING LONGITUDINAL FROM ONE END OF SAID ELONGATED STRIP TO THE OTHER, SAID THREE SCORE LINES DIVIDING THE EXTENDING PORTIONS INTO AN INNER AREA, AN INNER INTERMEDIATE AREA, AN OUTER INTERMEDIATE AREA AND AN OUTER AREA, EACH OF SAID EXTENDING PORTIONS BEING FOLDED INTO A TUBULAR SUPPORT WITH THE OUTER AREA OF EACH EXTENDING PORTION BEING ADHERED TO ITS ADJOINING PANEL SO THAT EACH SIDE AND END PANEL HAS A PAIR OF SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID TUBULAR SUPPORTS IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP ALONGSIDE THE LONGITUDINAL SCORES FORMING THE UPPER AND LOWER EXTREMITIES OF SAID SIDE AND END PANELS, SAID TUBULAR SUPPORTS BEING FORMED SO THAT THE OUTER INTERMEDIATE AREA OF EACH IS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE SIDE AND END PANELS, AN APERTURE CUT IN BOTH TUBULAR SUPPORTS EXTENDING FROM THE END PANELS, SAID APERTURES BEING SHAPED TO RECEIVE THE CAP AND BASE, RESPECTIVELY, OF A BOTTLE, SAID APERTURES BEING CUT TO LEAVE UPSTANDING INNER WALL PORTIONS ON THE OUTER INTERMEDIATE AREAS, SAID UPSTANDING INNER WALL PORTIONS BEARING AGAINST SAID CAP AND SAID BASE SO THAT THE CAP AND BASE ARE FIRMLY SUPPORTED IN SPACED RELATION TO THE END PANELS, SAID SIDE AND END PANELS BEING FOLDED INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR FRAME BY FOLDING THE SAID FRAME BLANK ON SAID TRANSVERSE SCORES SO THAT THE SAID TUBULAR SUPPORTS FACE INWARDLY AND SAID CAP AND BASE OF SAID BOTTLE ARE SUPPORTED IN SAID APERTURES, SAID FLAP AT ONE END OF SAID FRAME BLANK BEING SECURED TO THE PANEL AT THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID FRAME BLANK TO COMPLETE THE FRAME STRUCTURE AROUND SAID BOTTLE, SAID FRAME STRUCTURE BEING OVERWRAPPED WITH A FLEXIBLE AND HEAT SHRINKABLE PLASTIC FILM, SAID FILM BEING HEATED AND SHRUNK ON SAID FRAME STRUCTURE TO IMPART GREATER RIGIDITY TO SAID FRAME STRUCTURE AND TO RETAIN SAID SECURED FLAP IN THE COMPLETED PACKAGE. 